The link didn't work for me. They only let you have a few free views, then need to buy a subscription. But thanks for posting it as many people will be able to see the photos. ADN has some outstanding photographers (both staff and contractors).

Cindy Gallea scratched (officially in Safety which is just 22 miles from the finish line). I'm shocked. She only had 7 dogs since she left Koyuk last Friday.I can't remember but I think 6 or 7 dogs is the minimum team size allowed.I hope she & her dogs are okay.

I wonder if the weather played a part in that decision. The rewind on the tracker isn't working right now so I don't know much else yet.

Gallea is 67 years old, and this was to be her last Iditarod (but she has said that before). This was her 15th Iditarod race.

The official minimum is 6 but Cindy would know her dogs best. If she had to run with the bare minimum it could be dicey

I have this great document with all the winners of the various categories with some pictures but I can't figure out how to load the pictures since I don't have an Http site to load them from.leaving the office now but will be home and back on in about an 1.5 hrs

_________________Life has meaning only if one barters it day by day for something other than itself.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

You are absolutely right. I'm sure she did what was best for her dogs. She is a very experienced long distance musher.

She doesn't race to win, she is always at the back of the pack. It's all about the adventure, the challenge and pure fun of it. But what a dang shame to be that close to the finish line and decide you need to scratch. I would be in tears.

But good for her, dogs first! Always!

Did you see the video of Nic Petit talking about his scratch? He was in tears saying he won't ask his dogs to do something they clearly don't want to do.

He said he plans to train them in that same area and similar environments to teach them that the icy coast can be fun to run too.

There's a rumor on the Iditarod.com live chat that Rookie of the year Ed Hopkins gave his $2,000 check to Richie Beattie. Richie was the first rookie to finish this year but was disqualified because his dog died of pneumonia after the race. I have yet to find confirmation of this generous gesture.

Gosh oh golly me too! I bet the musher's families are on pins and needles the whole time.

That last stretch can be tough. And after 8-14 days of mushing ... well as they say, "There's no place like Nome!"

One of the mushers (I forget who, maybe Travis) said the next few nights after the race he would wake up in a panic, did I oversleep, it is time to go, where are the dogs, where are we heading next? I can only imagine...

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